Monthly Archives: September 2014

FLIGHT #BC 123 DEP: HOME 0800hrs ARR: SCHOOL 0830hrs – NOW BOARDING Last year I posted a very popular blog on how to foster resilience (R) in our children. I thought I would revisit the topic because so many of our parenting tools come back to this R; being able to bounce back, having the courage to try again, picking yourself up after failure, to keep trying and keep putting effort into things. With schools being back, it is definitely time to check in, set some limits and boundaries and revisit many of the parenting tools. Bed times have become later, routine is long gone and it’s hard to get them back on track. Asides from your sanity, there are many other reasons why it is so important. Limits, boundaries and consequences are all positive forms of discipline, which, when offered non-punitively, in the context of respect, are one of the highest forms of love. So what’s the link between boundaries, limits, consequences and resilience and what’s love got to do with it? Parenting Tool Checklist: “Connect, Connect and Connect, preserve the relationship” – Check “Encourage, don’t praise” – Check “Use Consequences” – Check “Be Consistent, Kind and Firm” – Check …Read more →

What better gift can you give your children than the ability to be able to face fears, problems, concerns, stresses and be able to deal with them and regulate their emotions. Mindfulness training can give children coping mechanisms and tools to do just this and take care of themselves in a variety of situations whether it be to manage anxiety for a test, deal with conflict, needing to calm down or needing to find courage to try something new to name but a few. Definition: “Mindfulness involves learning to be able to direct our attention to our experience as it unfolds moment by moment with open-minded curiosity and acceptance. Rather than worrying about what has happened or what might happen, it trains us to respond skillfully to whatever is happening right now, whether that be good or bad”. Mindfulness in Schools Organization Over the years I’d like to say that we have all become much more aware and educated regarding looking after our health. However, I feel that a big piece many of us are perhaps still missing is giving ourselves the time for stillness and silence in our lives. Our lives are becoming increasingly busy and more demanding with …Read more →

How do we / should we manage or handle our child’s emotions? With the levels of childhood anxiety on the rise I think that this topic is especially relevant for parenting today. Also, for those of us who live in BC, Canada, having some tools to help us deal with the potential anxiety and mixed emotions that may face parents and children alike right now with regards to the BC Teachers Strike may be helpful. There are many studies now that suggest high EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EQ) is a greater predictability of success over high IQ and that developing and fostering this skill in our children is particularly important. It is how children start to discover a sense of who they are and self-confidence. What can we do? One of the most important things a parent can do with their child is to acknowledge and validate their feelings and accept that their child might be feeling a particular way, even when they don’t agree, or should I say, especially when they don’t agree! How often do we hear things like this: “You can’t possibly be hungry, you just ate your lunch 20 minutes ago” “How can you be tired, you just …Read more →

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I think the purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all, to matter, to count, to stand for something, to have made some difference that you lived at all

Leo Rosten

The thought manifests as the word;
The word manifests as the deed;
The deed develops into habit;
And habit hardens into character;
So watch the thought and its ways with care,
And let it spring from love
Born out of concern for all beings…
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think, so we become.

Buddha, from the Dhammapada

You must be the change you wish to see in the world.

Mahatma Ghandi

The Adlerian philosophy really does work when you apply it. I fully recommend this course to any parent who is seeking peace in their household!

Belinda Auld

This course is the Coles Notes of effective parenting and is the best investment of time you can make if you truly want to improve your enjoyment and effectiveness as a parent.

Deb Intas

Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection, and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.

Rita Pierson

Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.

Larry L. King, WD

… respect is like air. If you take it away, it is all people can think about. The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation, the interaction is no longer about the original purpose – it is now about defending dignity.

Patterson, Grenny, McMillan and Switzler

Do not focus on what causes the behavior, focus instead on the purpose it serves

Jim Skinner

It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.

Alfred Adler

Louise Clarke is a graduate of, and certified by the Parent Coaching Institute, an organization affiliated with Seattle Pacific University.